SUBJECT VERB CONCORD

1.Number:
The basic principle of subject-verb agreement is that singular subjects
need singular verbs. Plural subjects need plural verbs:

SINGULAR PLURAL
The girl is playing The girls are playing
The boy has gone to school The boys have gone to school
He likes sweets They like sweets

2. Person:
The rules regarding the person are as follows:
(i) The first person singular or plural takes a singular verb:

 I like this scenery.

 We like this scenery.

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(ii) The second person singular or plural takes a singular verb:

 You like this scenery.

(iii) The third person singular takes a singular verb:

 He likes this scenery.

(iv) The third person plural takes a plural verb:

 They like this scenery.

3. Uncountable Noun:
When We use an uncountable noun as the subject of a verb, we use a
singular form of the verb:

 Honesty is the best policy.

 Fear begins to haunt him.

4. Singular and Plural Nouns:

When we use a singular noun as the subject of a verb, we use a singular

verb. Plural nouns take a plural verb:

 The moon was shining in the sky.

 The sun is about to set.
 The children were swimming.
 The farmers were ploughing.

5. One of the + Plural Noun:

When the subject consists of ‘one of the + plural noun’, the verb is
singular:

 One of the girls was singing.

 One of the students was talking.
 One of the birds was chirping.

6. Long Subject:
When a clause or a long group of words is the subject, we have to be
careful to make the verb agree with the subject:

 The chairs which I bought yesterday are very costly.

 The woman whom I met in the market was my friend’s sister.
7. Introductory ‘there’:
The verb has to agree with the real subject that follows the introductory
there. If the subject is singular, then there will be followed by a singular
verb. If the real subject is plural, then ‘there’ will be followed by a plural
verb:

 There is no chair in the room.

 There are no chairs in the room.
 There are fifty boys in the class.
 There is one girl in the class.

8. Two or More Nouns:

When two or more nouns function as subject, a plural verb is used:

 Satish and his sister have gone to see a movie.

 My friend and his father are meeting us tomorrow.

9. Distances, Weight, etc:

For distances, weight, height or amounts of money, we use a singular
verb even when the subject is plural:

 Ten thousand rupees is not a small sum.

 Three kilometers is a small distance.
 Five hundred feet above sea level is not a great height.

10. Plural Names:

The title of a book, the name of a house or a hotel in plural takes a
singular verb:

 “The Arabian Nights” has interesting stories.

 “The Hotel Brewers” is a five-star hotel.
11. Plural Nouns with Singular Meaning:
Nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning usually take a
singular verb:

 Mathematics is not an easy subject.

 Economics is a dull subject.
 Measles is an infectious disease.
 The latest news is that the criminal has been arrested.

12. Singular Nouns with Plural Verb:

Some nouns which appear to be singular in form take a plural verb:

 The police have arrested three terrorists.

 The Indian cricket team won the match.

13. Collective nouns like group, crowd, flock, regiment, etc. are generally
followed by a singular verb:

 A group of boys was playing in the ground.

 A crowd of people rushes into the hall.
 A regiment of soldiers was marching towards the town.

14. ‘Class’ nouns such as food, furniture, clothing, etc. take a singular

verb:

 This furniture is very old.

 This imported cutlery is very costly.
 His clothing consists of a bullet-proof jacket, a blue pair of trousers
and some other items.
15. Some nouns which appear to be plural in form when preceded by a
pair of take a singular verb, for example, shoes, scissors, trousers, etc.

 A pair of scissors was taken out of the drawer.

 A pair of trousers was washed by the servant.
 A pair of shoes was bought by him.

But when these nouns are used without ‘a pair of’, they take a plural
verb:

 His shoes have worn out.

 My scissors were lost .

16. Some nouns are preceded by a lot of, a plenty of, a great deal of,
etc. These nouns take a singular verb when they refer to amount or
quantity. But they take a plural verb when they refer to number:

 A lot of people visit the exhibition. Denotes number

 A plenty of water was supplied to the villagers.

17. When a singular subject is joined by as well as, in addition to,

except, etc. with another noun or pronoun, we use a singular verb.

 Sohan as well as his brother has come.

 My father in addition to our neighbour has gone out for a walk.
 Everyone except Satish was present.

18. A singular verb is used with singular pronouns, e.g. each, either,
neither, anyone, etc.

 Each of the boys was given a prize.

 Neither of the students was absent.
 Everybody has helped her.
19. When two or more subjects are connected by nor or or, the verb is
used according to the number of the noun nearest to it:

 Neither she nor her sisters visit the

temple.                                                      ‘
 Either they or he is telling a lie.

20. A collective noun such as jury, committee, family, etc. takes a

singular verb when it is considered one unit. But when they are regarded
as individuals, they take a plural verb:

 The jury is about to give its decision.

 The jury are divided in their opinion.
 The committee is meeting tomorrow.
 The committee have decided to raise the membership fee.
 Our family has decided to visit Shimla this summer.
 The family now live in London.

21. When some nouns are regarded as one unit, they take a singular
verb:

 Bread and butter is a wholesome food.

 Brick and stone is lying scattered all over the place.
 Time and tide waits for none.
 The novelist and poet is dead.